Diep 2012

Kd6blk

It still scares me. I am on antiestrogen pills but still think it is odd with clear margins I had it at all. They were super careful looking through my tissue after mastectomy and no hidden invasive cancer was found. I just better like knowing what I am dealing with rather than Russian ROUlette. They took more nodess too when I had bmx and they were clear...so who knows???

bdavis

I have heard.. not sure if its valid, that sometimes during a procedure, even a needle biopsy, the cancer cells can escape as the needle is being pulled out and contaminate the clean tissue. Perhaps they go to the nodes... This would not ever be the case if what is in the nodes is larger than a micromet. I did not read this from a reliable source.

J-Bug

howhm021: I don't know if you gave in and called the answering service, but from what you are describing, I would not. If everything is still "attached" and there are no deep incisions exposed, you should be okay. I ended up with both breasts pulling open at the stitching on the underside of the breasts. The first one was the worst. It was my right side and also the radiated side. I had so much fluid coming out whenever I moved. I taped diapers flat open over my incisions to catch the drainage. Then the left side ended up opening up as well. My PS said that I still would not lose a flap over this, this far past surgery, because the blood flow is well established and everything was functioning. He just had to sew me up the old-fashioned way. So he did a day surgery and used the old black thread and I have stitches everywhere! It feels so much better to have things held into place properly now though. The stitches will be in for a few weeks while the skin closes back up. He left a couple of spots that looked pretty open to me and had very large oozing scabs. He said that they were superficial. Now that they are healing and new skin is growing in those areas, I can see that he was right. The deepest areas were the most important. He had me on one antibiotic after surgery, but when he got my cultures back, he did switch me to a different one.

Some of you asked about why I had such a fluid buildup in the lower abdomen that the surgeon was drawing out. He explained that basically it is a seroma. But what made more sense, was he was saying since the body has such large wounds in the abdomen area from the tissue removal and then the breast area, the fluid from those wounds is still draining down. My six drains were not removed until they had very little production, but with all that I had going on with the open wounds and such, it just got in the way of healing quickly. He aspirated a lot more fluid on Tuesday which makes me feel so much better, but I don't feel like it is building up as much this week.

Yesterday I went for a walk in the neighborhood. I was able to stand up straight and walked maybe a half mile. I was using a cane when the fluid buildup was bad because I was in so much pain from the bloating and muscle pain combined. Now that is all starting to ease up. And yes, the walking does ease the muscle pain considerably! Now five weeks post surgery, I have starting wearing a sports bra occassionally and worked all week from home - although that was very painful! I had to stand and leave the computer a lot and walk around to stretch the muscles. But things have definitely improved.

howhm02l

Thank you ladies!



J-bug I ended up not calling. It is where the aerola and nipple will eventually be, and is just a surface level wound around the circumference of that circular area. It is not leaking anything, just the light yellow stuff that you see when a scrape is healing. I know it will just take some time. I am trying not to be impatient because it has only been 4 weeks. Just tired of having to wear gauze pads!



I am thankful that I have no sensation there - even the "nonstick" gauze pads are sticking. I am sure it would hurt if I could feel it!

J-Bug

howhm02l: I am still wearing them at five weeks. I don't like them, but it beats wearing the diapers as bandaging. It will get better! Hang in there!

Beckers

JBug, congrats on walking a half mile! I think that's great at 5 weeks! One lap around my neighborhood is 6/10's of a mile. I am going to see if I can do it now. I've been walking to doc appts, Walmart, Kmart, or various errands and doing better at it now. Definitely nice to be upright! :-)

Jennt28

Sorry to read about Dianne :-(



6am Monday morning here in the hospital after my BMX with free TRAM on Friday. Past few days were really challenging with meds and nausea :-/ Seem to be on top of it now though.



Catheter came out yesterday and hoping at least 2 drains will come out today.



Surgery was 12+ hours I gather but all went well. I had a positive breast node last December and I had refused the ALND. Done chemo, herceptin, a few rads and Tamoxifen since then and BS saifd there was a small group of breast nodes he removed with the forst one looking a bit "solid". Pathology will hopefully show dead cancer cells - if it shows live cancer cells we will know that the txs so far have not completely worked. Should know pathology on Thursday.



Not panicked yet... Breasts look good :-)



Jenn

rtnyc

howhm021:  I might have missed some of your conversation but thought I would tell you that I had open wounds around the scar, literally about 2 - 2/12 inches out from the scar under the breast. My scars are like lollipops, circle where the nip's were and line going down from the center. the open wounds were off the line going out about 2 inches on both sides. ugly things, yellow raw etc. didn't hurt as I was numb. Doc gave me a prescription for silver something cream, it's the white cream they put on burns and zeroform pads/bandages. first I put the white cream all over the wound, then covered it totally with the zeroform, then cover that with padded gaze then put on a non constructed bra or actually a camisole with the bra like inside just needed to hold the bandages.   I had to do this until the wound healed and changed it twice/three times a day.. it took forever!!! Ask the doctor. zeroform can be bought in a surgical supply store but you should talke to your doc first

regenschirm

I had my surgery at PRMA a little over two weeks ago. Still dealing with disappointment that the right side could not be reconstructed. Woke up with one breast. And a teensy one at that. The right portion of my abdomenal fat (flap) did not have sufficient vascularization to support a flap so that was a bummer. Will be going back to do the right side at a later date probably with GAP procedure. I managed a half mile walk today which was good. Only other hiccup was UTI from cath. Its taken two different antibiotics to get it under control. Keep telling myself to keep swimming.

regenschirm

The one thing that is really fantastic about the whole experience--huge reduction in pain from irradiated side. They also transferred a cluster of healthy lymph nodes and though it is too early to tell whether these will "take" I most definitely have a huge reduction in swelling on that side (presumably due to healthy tissue and reduction in scar tissue). This is really so cool. Teying to temper blue feelings with the positives.

howhm02l

Rtnyc - thank you so much! My wounds are on the lollipop part about half way around. I have some xeroform from the docs office for my belly button and started using that yesterday. I will call tomorrow and see if I need to get some of that cream. I am glad to know I am not alone.

howhm02l

Rtnyc - thank you so much! My wounds are on the lollipop part about half way around. I have some xeroform from the docs office for my belly button and started using that yesterday. I will call tomorrow and see if I need to get some of that cream. I am glad to know I am not alone.

Beckers

Jennt28, welcome back! Glad to hear your recovery is coming along. I hope those are just dead cancer cells and good that you are not panicked.



Regenschirm, Just keep swimming! When can you have the GAP? Sorry you woke to disappointment. That must have been a bummer for sure. Chin up! I am jealous you are walking 1/2 mile at two weeks. I was so slow to get going. Just now probably able to walk 1/2 mile and I am 8 weeks. Sounds like node transfer was successful if you already have improvement. Yay. Hang in there.

positivenergy

KD:  I had a BMX with DIEP on 9/17, the said that the PATH showed nothing in my 3 lymphnodes, but thought they saw some microinvasion, however, could not prove or disprove that conclussively so they want me to go and see a medical oncologist.  Any experience on this issue would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.  Two weeks post op and doing pretty well, but sleep is getting more difficult, feeling anxious.  any the four drains I still have have all this "smoochy" stuff coming through them, I'm not liking that.  Only down to 55 cc per day on 2 of them, so not ready to come out yet, but they are sore.

michellej1980

Anyone else with a terribly itchy cleavage after surgery?! It's driving me mad!

bdavis

Positive energy... I suggest you get your pathology read by a second doctor.

Jennt28

I have a blister at bthe bottom of my cleavage caused by the fabric tape they used... Yes, it's itchy but I daren't touch it.



Jenn

Hoya03mom

Jen...hope your recovery is swift and all the cancer cells are DEAD!! 

I had lots of problems with my lollipop stick (love the description rtnyc) on the LT side, but it finally cleared up and is starting to fill in.  Looked like the grand canyon for a while (especially in my magnifying mirror!)

Regenschirm - so sorry things didn't go as planned...hopefully you will be able to get things corrected soon..glad the pain is less!

Just got back from my PT evaluation and I have officially been diagnosed with Lymphedema in my left arm...still very early stage but left side is about 10% larger than right....and since my right side should be larger since I am right handed, UGH!!

Unfortunately due to "our systems will be updating for a few more days and we can't book appts" and so many patients...and not enough therapists, I might not be able to get into to PT for a week or so.  I asked what I could do and they said don't do anything until I meet with PT!!

I guess this means I have to give up my nice big heavy purses, and stop getting Costco size groceries.  Any one else dealing with this??? 

mommaof4

Hi all...  I am 5 days out from my 11 hr. DIEP with Dr Kline here in Charleston, SC and was released from the hopsital today (back at Hope Lodge now).  All in all, I think things went well,  I guess my abdominal "vessel anatomy" was rare and different than most in that my veins and arteries weren't where they normally would be so my scar had to be moved a little higher than it would be for others.  I really can't tell much at this point though.  The pain hasn't been too bad.  I was at East Cooper Medical Center and for the most part I had excellent nurses who stayed on top of my medications, drains, pain etc...  Things don't look exactly like I thought it would but seems to get better daily.  Dr. Kline and the nurses are so impressed with how things turned out so maybe I was just expecting too much.  I have my 1 week follow up appt tomorrow with Dr Kline and if he says things are good then I should be on my way home to Chicago by afternoon! I schedulued stage 2 for Feb 1st and Dr Kline said it will be a lipo and contouring fest to make everything look wonderful:)  I'm so glad I had the great advice from everyone on these threads and traveled all the way here to see him!   Still praying things keep going well...  Michelle, I too have lots of itching in the cleavage area,  I've actually had it since my te's were put in during my original mastectomy, drives me crazy.  I just try to use calming/oatmeal based lotions...

basketnut3

Just a small warning.  If I read it on here before I don't remember.  After my DIEP I have some fat neucrosis.  Being the smart person I am I looked up how to treat it and found to put hot packs on it for 20 minutes 4 times a day to help break it up.  I used a pack you heat in the microwave.  Believe me it was only luke warm.  The neucrosis was under my non-transplanted skin, but the heat pack reached onto the "new" skin.  I kept my hand on it to make sure of the temperature, and as I said it was only barely warm.  Well, when I got up the next morning I had two big blisters on my "new" skin.  Three weeks later I am close to having the blisters healed.  Luckily at my checkup my PS didn't yell at me.  Hopefully at my next appointment we will be able to schedule round 2 of surgery.

 I am having to speak to a group on Sunday for a breast cancer event.  If you have any funny things which have happened to you during your walk with cancer please share.  I don't want to be totally boring and scary.

michellej1980

mommaof4 - I too had my scar apparently a little higher than normal for what I understand was the same reason. Strange eh?



Right now my boobs feel like they're in my arm pits and are extremely hard and uncomfortable. Still, at least I am now managing to sleep on my side. It was awful not being able to do so.

Beckers

I am so jealous Michelle! I'm 8 weeks out and I can't sleep on my side yet.

cascader

Mommaof4, I felt the same way, things did not look as expected. But At 3 months I looked so much better. It takes time, and I am now very happy with my stage 1 results. I am 4 months post op now and cannot wait for my stage 2 in December. Trust Dr Kline and have patience. It does get better everyday.

Jennt28

Every doctor and nurse that has walked into my hospital room so far has said "amazing" about the new barbie boobs :-) I gather the shaping is very good and I must say I am happy with the cleavage.



Day 4 for me today. Am walking the halls and am down to just the two abdominal drains as of this afternoon. All four breast drains are out!



Off for another walk down the hall...



Jenn

Marcie47

I am planning the diep for end of year or beginning of 2013, would like some feedback. I have narrowed it down to either dr Crisera at Ucla or dr Nguyen at cedars for the diep. Has anybody had these ps do this surgery? Please help me make te right choice:)

Beckers

Marcie, I'm a So Cal girl but had mine done at Loma Linda. Hope someone can let you know about those two. Good luck!

fredntan

I'm packing for my trip tomorrow. going to Texas. will I feel like wearing soft elastic pants over the abd binder? I have some sundresses. what do I put my drains in if I have dress on? could I cut my ted hose down and stuff them in near the thigh. or fashion some sort of drain holder?

I heard silky pajamas make it easier to slide.

will I feel like wearing tank tops that I can step into? I mean my boobs will be matching now. I have had droopy left breast and perky right TE for last year. I have some button down shirts 

Beckers

Hi fredntan, I safety pinned drains to and binder and wore sundress home from hospital. Stretchy pants would work. I wore men's v neck t shirts like 2 sizes too big after my surgery. Easy to get in and out of. I just wore pajama shorts and even cut legs off long pajama bottoms. I wore vneck tshirts out in public that were maybe one size bigger and with designs/colors out in the world to appointments. Good luck to you!!

CookieMonster

I had my DIEP at UCLA, but not with your PS. I don't know about either of them, but I know that the PS group at UCLA is great. My PS mostly works in Santa Monica now but my DIEP was still done at UCLA. Good luck with the decision.

gotoell

Hi Beckers I just had a consultation with Dr. Cody at Loma Linda, who did you have there and what was your experience and outcome? I so appreciate your feedback and input